Seven people have been charged and an eighth suspect was arrested Thursday in Santa Ana as the result of a nine-month investigation into drug and gun sales in Orange County, federal authorities said.
Anaheim police teamed up with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Santa Ana and the FBI in the gun and drug trafficking investigation,
Authorities served three search warrants in Victorville, one in Anaheim and two in Santa Ana on Thursday, according to the ATF.
During the nine-month investigation, authorities recovered 13 handguns, 13 rifles, eight shotguns, a hand grenade and about 4.43 pounds of methamphetamine in covert sales to a confidential informant, according to Anaheim Officer Bryan Devor’s affidavit in the charges against the defendants.
During Thursday’s sweep, police recovered an additional 13 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, thousands of dollars and methamphetamine and other drugs, the ATF reported.
One of the suspects offered to sell the informant a gun with a 100 round drum for $700, Devor reported. The informant was also offered a one-gram sample of methamphetamine, Devor said.
Seven of the suspects were identified in court papers as Juanita Hernandez, 38, of Santa Ana, Maricela Hernandez, 33, of Santa Ana, Jose Castro, 29, of Santa Ana, Emilio Moure, 38, of Victorville, Maria Baltazar, 32, of Santa Ana, Kathia Granados, 27, of Anaheim, and Victor Vasquez, 27, of Victorville. The eighth suspect’s name has not been released.